Port Vale: Harriers boss in labour of love

by Dave Knapper

MICKY Adams's opposite number at Kidderminster may be operating in a league below, but Mark Yates must feel as hard worked as any league manager as he continues his labour of love.

The 39-year-old has been trawling the divisions to improve on a squad that finished just one point away from the Blue Square Premier play-offs last season.

Ahead of tomorrow's pre-season warm-up at Aggborough (3pm), Yates has added youngster Tom Sharpe, from Nottingham Forest, and 33-year-old former Cheltenham Town skipper John Finnigan, pictured below, who ended a seven-year spell in Gloucestershire to link up with his former midfield colleague.

They will join fellow summer signings Aaron Farrell, who banged in five goals in five games during a trial spell with the Harriers, former Burnley defender Duane Courtney and Kyle Hadley, a winger brought in from Stourbridge.

And like Adams, Yates is happy to play the waiting game when it comes to unearthing talent.

He said: "Ideally, I would have liked my squad ready now, but that's not a problem.

"I've got some irons in the fire that aren't here and we're waiting on a couple of answers. We're hoping that they will be happening sooner rather than later.

"By the end of next week I'd like my squad sorted. In an ideal world, we would have had it sorted, but I actually believe that taking our time has hopefully allowed us to get in better players than we originally thought.

"A number of people have come up to us and said they are glad we're taking our time and are trying to bring in players of the right quality.

"I could have a squad of 22 players now, the issue for me is bringing in the ones that are right for the club."

But the time he spends plotting a renewed promotion push is nothing short of a labour of love for a team where he played some of his best football.

The former midfielder joined Kidderminster in 1994 and amassed more than 230 appearances, scoring 40 goals.

He left five years later to join Cheltenham Town and helped the Robins to enjoy a sustained era of success as the side rose from non-league to League One under the then stewardship of Steve Cotterill.

He rejoined Kidderminster for a brief stint in 2004 before hanging up his boots and joining Cotterill at Burnley in a coaching role.

When the call came in 2006 to return, Yates once again made trod that familiar path to Worcestershire to try to get the club back into the league.

And Vale will need to be primed for a tough encounter at Aggborough tomorrow as the Harriers boast an impressive record of scoring 27 goals in seven pre-season matches – albeit 14 did come in one encounter.

Trialists Jamie Guy, Stuart Tomlinson, Kris Taylor and Kevin Thornton are likely to be involved for Vale as Adams puts the finishing touches to his side ahead of the new season.